This team has just ‘gotta dance’
After a brief conversation with Arieh Steinlauf, one thing is confirmed – he loves to dance. The passion, dedication and creativity that he has put into the art of dance paid off recently when he and his partner, Sheena Larsen, a fellow Utah State University student, won first place in the Novice Latin Division at the U.S. National DanceSport Championships at Brigham Young University.
Both dancers have previous ballroom experience, but with different partners, Steinlauf said. Due to several changes, the two found themselves in need of new partners and got together last November.
In a discipline where partners are often together for years, the fact that the two put together a winning effort in such a short time is commendable. Steinlauf said the two create their own choreography, since there are no coaches at Utah State. Rehearsal takes up to two hours a day.
“We try to move as one but there are specific roles to play,” Steinlauf said. “That is something we stress in our choreography.”
In the recent competition at BYU, Steinlauf and Larsen were among more than 35 couples who had traveled from across the country to compete for this U.S. championship.
At Utah State Larsen is a psychology major and Steinlauf, while declared as an engineering major, said he may end up in business or another field.
“It was exciting to win this competition,” Steinlauf said.
The accomplishment was supported by good friends. Steinlauf attributes a portion of his success to family friend Ray Backlund. “I get a lot of my drive and dedication from Ray,” he said.
Steinlauf and Larsen hope their accomplishment will interest others at Utah State in dance. He heads the Salsa Club and said the group is free and open to all.
“It costs nothing to get involved and the Salsa Club is a good way to get started,” Steinlauf said. “Salsa is the easiest social dance and it is fun.”
Anyone interested in joining the Salsa Club should contact Steinlauf via email at ariste@hotmail.com.
“What music is to the ear, dancing is to the eye,” Steinlauf said. “It’s visual and it’s an art form done to music so it involves several senses. All dance is an art, from hip hop to ballroom, and we take it seriously – this is our art.”
The Ballroom Dancing Club at Utah State is one of several club sports associated with Campus Recreation. To get involved call Campus Recreation at 797-1503.